The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs.
It has been a tough year for blockbuster trades.
It has been a tough year for blockbuster trades.
Talks over the prospective Dayne Beams and Patrick Ryder deals have moved slower than Arjuna Ranatunga between the wickets, and it is possible that the Western Bulldogs and Greater Western Sydney might not even get to the starting line to discuss Ryan Griffen.
Coach Brendan McCartney might have departed the Bulldogs on Friday, but Griffen, 28, remains steadfast in his desire for a fresh start at the Giants.
Bulldogs president Peter Gordon was just as adamant on Friday that the club would hold Griffen to the last year of his contract in 2015, albeit not as captain.
The weekend might give the Bulldogs time to weigh up whether they are better to let Griffen go if his disenchantment with the club is irrevocable.
And whether they are best to try to pick up – among other trade targets – the Giants' No.4 pick and/or the No.7 pick they look set to acquire trading Kristian Jaksch to Carlton.
It would certainly add yet more elite young talent to their gilt-edge draft crops of 2012 and 2013 and, possibly, the elite key forward they've been lacking.
At the back of the Dogs' minds too, no doubt, will be the fact Griffen is set to become a free agent at the end of next season, when any free agency compensation would be dwarfed by what the Bulldogs could pry from the Giants now.
We'll know more by Monday, but at this stage this is looming as the almost impossible trade.
The Beams trade could already have been scuttled, at least the one that would have sent Beams to his preferred home, the Brisbane Lions.
Collingwood stuck to its self-imposed deadline of 5pm on Friday, issuing a statement that its negotiations with the Lions had ceased, but adding that it was open to offers from other clubs for Beams.
It's hard to know whether to take the Pies seriously on this one. They sounded like a headmaster scolding a naughty schoolboy – the Lions – in their statement.
The Lions, though, weren't worried about copping a 'detention'.
List manager Peter Schwab said on Friday afternoon that the Lions weren't prepared to budge on their offer of picks No.5 and 25.
It seems a circuit-breaker will be needed to get Beams to the Gabba by 2pm next Thursday.
The Magpies tried to find one on Friday afternoon via a complex five-club trade.
The monster trade would have seen Beams and Allen Christensen end up at the Lions, Levi Greenwood and Travis Varcoe join Collingwood, Mitch Clark join Geelong, Heritier Lumumba join Melbourne and second- and third-round picks exchanged between North Melbourne and the other four clubs.
This discussion continued throughout the day but fell over late in the afternoon.
The Lions and Geelong salvaged something from the wreck, however, with Christensen set to leave Geelong in exchange for the Lions' pick No.21 provided he passes a medical examination on Monday.
The impasse has left Melbourne and Geelong waiting patiently for Collingwood to decide whether it wants to commit to Varcoe, which would pave the way for a three-way deal sending Clark to Geelong, Lumumba to Melbourne and Varcoe to the Magpies.
Although the frontrunner to sign Varcoe, Collingwood is not over the line, with the Cats speedster still considering an approach from North.
The Magpies and Roos are also some way off finalising a trade for Greenwood. Collingwood's pick No.30 is on the table for the midfielder, but North was eyeing the No.25 pick the Magpies could have accepted as part of the Beams deal.
The Roos continued their aggressive approach to the player exchange period on Friday.
Having already picked up free agents Shaun Higgins, 26, and Jarrad Waite, 31, the Roos met with Bulldogs veteran Adam Cooney on Friday.
It is understood Cooney, 29, completed a medical test with the Roos, who are seriously considering a trade for him.
It is believed Cooney was set to earn close to $400,000 next year at the Bulldogs, but that the Roos are looking at offering him a reduced salary over a two-year deal.
If North decides to trade for the South Australian, it is expected to offer a late pick, most likely its third-round pick, No.56.
The Roos will not be without competition for the 2008 Brownlow medallist, who now seems almost certain to leave the Whitten Oval despite being contracted for next season. Essendon is another club believed to be interested.
Fellow Bulldog Will Minson was the subject of trade speculation heading into this week, but the ruckman, who is contracted to the end of 2016, is set to stay at the Kennel.
The Bulldogs also missed out on their key defensive target on Friday, with Tom Lonergan informing the club he was staying with Geelong.
Jason Winderlich has decided to stay with Essendon after Richmond showed interest in the speedy forward.
Greater Western Sydney is believed to be asking for a second-round draft pick from Melbourne for key defender Sam Frost, but the Demons are unlikely to finalise that deal until other trade dominos fall into place.
Especially with the breaking news on Friday evening that they are considering trading former skipper Jack Trengove to Richmond.
St Kilda and the Sydney Swans are essentially committed to doing a deal to send Tim Membrey to Seaford, but will also have to wait for other trades to be done first.
But there appears no resolution in sight in the talks between Port Adelaide and Essendon on Ryder.
Ryder's manager, Paul Connors, said on Friday his client, who is contracted to Essendon to the end of 2016, was so set on leaving that the 26-year-old might retire if his move to the Power was blocked.
Next week shapes as a nervous one for a number of players, but particularly Ryder, Beams and Griffen.
